Cheesy Stuffed Pork Steak with Onion Sauce

Fried onion mixture:
1/2 packet shimeiji mushroom washed and finely chopped
4 medium size onions peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoon oil
A pinch of salt and pepper *optional to omit*
Stir fry the onions and mushroom till lightly brown and leave aside. You will use half for the pork steak and half for onion sauce.

Pork steak:
500gm of mince pork
3 tablespoon of panko or breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/2 fried onion mixture
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 slices of cheddar cheese (from a cheddar cheese block)
Oil for frying
1 bowl of water
Mix well the mince pork with all the above ingredients.
Shaped them into steak and make a well in the centre.
Place 1 sliced cheese in the centre and cover and roll back and forth the meat steak.
Heat oil in a frying pan.
Place meat steak and fry until golden brown and flip to the other side . Once both side is golden brown, add in 1 bowl of water and cover the pan with a lid.  Cook until the water evaporates. The water will help to steam the meat steak and prevent it from drying.
Once water evaporate, remove the meat steak and set aside.

Onion Sauce:
1/2 fried onion mixture
3 tablespoon all purpose flour
* butter or oil optional*
Salt pepper sugar to taste
Using the same pan to make the sauce. Add in the fried onion mixture and lightly fry it. Push it aside.
If the pan is dried up, heat some butter until melted (or oil) and add in flour to make a roux or thickening. Fry the mixture until lightly golden color and mix it with the fried onion mixture. Fry until combined and add in 1 bowl of water. Stir and break up any flour lumps. Add salt , pepper and sugar and adjust taste to your liking.
Remove sauce from pan into a bowl and set aside.

Mixed vegetable:
1 carrot cut into strips
1 bunch of French beans cut into bite size pieces
1/2 packet shimeiji mushroom
salt and pepper to taste *optional to omit*
Stir fry all the above veggies until slightly cooked and leave aside until ready for assemble.

Hasselback roasted potatoes:
4 Russet potatoes
Olive oil
Salt pepper to taste
* Herbs of your choice optional*
Wash and scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt or soil.
Cut a small piece to allow the potato to sit firmly.
Cut thin slice of the potatoes without cutting through. Place a large wooden spoon in front of the potato as a guideline.
Pour olive oil and rub salt and pepper.
Roast it in a preheated oven of 250'C for 25 minutes. Every now and then, brush oil on the surface of the potatoes to prevent it from drying. You may sprinkle herbs of your choice.

The Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich

4 slices of white bread
3 tbs butter
2 sliced cheese
1 tomato sliced thinly
A sprinkle of dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Spread butter on the outer side of the bread.
Placed cheese sliced inside. Topped with tomato slices and sprinkle basil, salt and pepper to taste. Cover with another sliced of bread. Butter the top side.

Heat a pan and melt a dollop of butter. Place sandwich butter side down. Using spatula, turn the sandwich every now and then to get the bottom side evenly browned. Once bottom side is evenly browned, using a spatula, carefully turn the sandwich over to brown the other side.

Remove from pan and sliced the sandwich into halves. You know you get a perfect grilled cheese sandwich when both sides are evenly browned and the sandwich oozes out warm melted cheese.

Sour Spicy Vegetable Stew @ Chai Boey

2 cloves garlic
6 pieces dried chilli (seeds removed)
10 pieces tamarind slice
1 thumb size ginger
1/4 roast duck or 1/2 roast trotter or 1/2 roast chicken
2 stalk Chinese Mustard green "kai choy"
500ml water
90ml Light soy sauce
Sugar to taste
Oil for cooking

Method:
Heat oil and stir fry garlic, ginger, dried chilli and tamarind slice until fragrant.
Add in meat of choice. Here I am using 1/4 roast duck. Mix well.
Add in water and bring to boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat to low and add in Chinese Mustard Green vegetables. Add in the 90ml of soya sauce and additional water until it is the same level with the vegetable level. Simmer on low heat for about an hour.  Finally, add in sugar to taste.

Mint Curry Fish

4 pieces fish fillet
4 tbsp oil
2 stalks lemongrass, lightly crushed
3-4 cups water
1 1/4 cup (300ml) coconut milk
2-3 tomatoes, quartered
10 okra (or add eggplant if desired )
1 Stalk mint leaves
Mint leaves for garnish

Blend finely:
120g (4oz) shallots
4 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger or galangal (lengkuas)
2 candlenuts
1/2 tbsp toasted belacan
6- 8 pieces dried chillies that have been soaked until softened
Salt & sugar to taste

Spices:
Curry powder (mixed with 4 tbsp water to form a paste):
2 tbsp ground coriander
1/2 tbsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cumin

Method

Rub some salt over the fish and set aside for 1/2 hour before rinsing it off. Ensure there is no blood left on the fish as it may cause bitterness in the curry.
In the meantime, heat up 4 tbsp oil in a large pan/pot. Fry the blended ingredients (shallots, garlic etc) for 3-5 minutes. Then add curry powder mixture continue frying for 2 minutes until the chilli split oil into the pan. Add the lemongrass.
Add water, cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1/2 hour. Then add coconut milk. Once it starts to simmer, quickly add tomatoes and okra. Simmer for 5 minutes then add in fish fillet. Cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes until the fish is cooked. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 3 minutes so that the oil rises to the top. Dish out
immediately, garnish with mint leaves and serve hot with steamed white rice.

Project Pestle & Mortar (Cheng Ku)

I remembered back in the old days, I used to help out my granny pound away chillies and spices with her mortar and pestle . I was just a mere 10years old and being a nosy curious little brat, I often would disturb my granny in the kitchen just to find her squatting and pounding away spices and herbs to be cooked into a delicious dish of curry fish or curry chicken.

I offered to help my ah ma as I fondly referred my granny. I would offer to pound the spices for her so she could proceed with other kitchen chores. She would always tell me not to lift the pestle too high or else suffer being bashed my fingers or do not pound too hard or else the spices will "fly" into my eyes...

I was given a brand new mortar and pestle by my mum recently and I am absolutely excited to start pounding away. But first, lets learn how to clean, and season it. You will need :

An old used towel

Some stack of old newspaper

1 Cup Uncooked rice

Rough salt

Garlic

Coriander seeds

Cumin

Anise

 Place an old towel and some stack of old newspaper below the mortar and pestle to protect your working surface. Pour in 1/4 cup of uncooked rice and an equal amount of rough salt. Crush, pound and grind until it becomes like rice flour. Making sure to grind all the way up the side walls to get a smooth finish.

Once it all becomes a good powdery form, you will notice it is grey with dust left over from the pounding and grinding. Dump this into the dustbin. Continue to do this four more times until you finish up the 1 cup of uncooked rice.

This is the final result and as you can see the powder form is white in color meaning no more stone dust.

Soak the mortar and pestle overnight in water to strengthen the granite. Don't ask me how is this logical but this is an age old secret which was passed down from my granny to my mum.  Soak the mortar and pestle an hour before each use too.

Now the fun part in seasoning the mortar and pestle.

You can use any herbs or spices of your choice, but I like something oriental and aromatic.  Toss in garlic, coriander seeds, cumin, anise and some rough salt.

Crush them all into a fine paste covering all sides of the bowl. Leave it to sit overnight. Your kitchen will be filled with the scent of Thai food... Mmmmmmmm...

Finally, remove the paste and rinse with warm water. Use only hot water and a hard bristle or brush and avoid using soap

*Oh Ya FYI...I am a fan of Spongebob Lol

Pennywort Juice (Air Pegaga)

Pennywort Juice peddlers had gone extinct as the years goes by, Use to remember seeing them so often by the roadside, mainly around the busy roads of Penang Island. All Malaysians regardless of race knows the health benefits of drinking Pennywort Juice or its call Jus Pegaga in Malay, which we fondly call it as well :). Preparing it is not a tedious process. Just adding water to blend the plant and squeeze or filter out the juice. Serving it with sugar syrup and ice would be the most ideal method as the taste of the Chlorophyll is pungent to some people. But none the less, it's a traditional drink during the hot weather and is suitable for all ages as well.

I bought about 2 handful of Pennywort Plant from Aeon Big at the cost of RM5 for both. After blending it all together with about 700ml of plain cooked water. You will need to filter the fibre through a siev. Then you will have a finish product of Pegaga Juice. Add in Syrup and Ice before serving it, if you feel its too concentrated, you can add in some plain water as well. Enjoy trying!

 

Some basic writeup of Air Pegaga / Pennywort Juice.

The health benefits of the pennywort plant were acknowledged many centuries ago for the treatment of various conditions. It is used as part of ayurvedic medicine, especially in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine practices. Pennywort is a perennial herb that originates in moist areas. It is native to India, Sri Lanka, Northern Australia as well as a few other areas in Asia. Pennywort has been associated with a few Asian Legends. It is alleged Tai Chi Chuan master, Li Ching-Yun, lived to the age of 256 years due to an assortment of herbs he consumed daily, one being pennywort. Another folklore tale is of King Aruna and his use of pennywort. He believed it enabled him the energy and stamina necessary for his harem of 50 women.

Pennywort is also known as centella asiatica, gotu kola, asiatic and indian pennywort, brahmi, marsh pennywort, common pennywort, waternavel, sombrevillo de aqua, bachelor's buttons and penny grass. The various names contribute to the region and language it is being used in around the world.

This herb works by averting a disorderly manner of the absorption of nutrition and corrects this process through an improved progression of digestion of nutrients. Pennywort has properties of being antibacterial, anti-viral, and anti- inflammatory. It contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6 as well as the minerals, calcium, magnesium, sodium, manganese, and zinc.

The benefits of pennywort tea are numerous and many people use this tea as a health tonic. Maintaining youth and the treatment of arthritis are its most popular use. It is recongized as a longivity herb because of its ability to help rebuild connective tissue, which in turn, can slow the aging process. Plus, it has been commended as a great antidote for improving memory and, therefore, considered food for the brain. Studies have indicated by consuming 2-4 raw pennywort leaves a day may help sharpen alertness and memory and rejuvenate the brain. There is important research being conducted to observe the effects this herb can have on those suffering with Alzheimer’s disease.

The central nervous system can receive amazing benefits with the consumption of pennywort. This herb works well in relaxing the mind and can assist in certain nervous disorders, senility, strokes, ADD, and epilepsy. It can be utilized as a nerve tonic when coping with mental stress and fatigue and encourage sleep due to a nervous condition.

Pennywort can help protect our immune system from toxins. High blood pressure, congestive heart failure, venereal diseases and urinary tract infections are a few of a range of illnesses that can be treated with this remarkable herb. Because of its antibiotic properties, it has the capability to speed up the healing process of wounds. Futhermore, pennywort can improve blood flow while also reinforcing veins and capillaries, making them stronger. Studies have shown it to be beneficial in healing and preventing phlebitis, leg cramps, and blood clots as well as decrease the appearance of varicose veins. It is effective in bringing down fever and treating dysentery in children, which is a servere form of diarrhea.

Pennywort has also proved to cleanse and purify the blood stream and can remedy certain skin conditions such as eczema, chronic ulcers, sores, and scleroderma, which is a condition that hardens the skin. A powder can be made from the leaves of this plant and applied to the eruptions on the skin.

Happy trying readers!

DIY Foam Roller

I have tried so many rollers but none gave me the satisfying feel of a deep  tissue / muscle massage. As our Asian body frame is smaller and our muscles are more compact, it is hard to get a roller to perform as expected…sigh… So I was thinking to myself that enough is enough. Its time that I DIY my own roller, to fit my own physical needs. Ok! Here is what you need:

       1.  4 inch Diameter (1.5 Feet long)       

             PVC Pipe

       2.  Foam Sheet

       3.  All surface glue

       4.  Tape

Steps

   1.       Wash the pipe and dry     it properly.

   2.       Apply glue inch by inch     and slowly roll the             foam onto the pipe.

   3.       Once the foam has           covered the pipe, cut         off the extra.

   4.       As you will see extra         foams at both sides,         Fold all the extra into         the PVC pipe.

   

   5.       Make sure before you fold in the extra, do apply glue to the excessive foam, So it       will stick inside the pipe.

   6.       Use the tape to tape up the inside of the pipe to make it look tidy.

       What is Foam Rolling About?

       Foam rolling is a self-myofascial release (SMR) technique that is used by athletes and physical therapists to inhibit overactive muscles. This form of stretching utilizes the concept of autogenic inhibition to improve soft tissue extensibility, thus relaxing the muscle and allowing the activation of the antagonist muscle.

This technique can be effective for many muscles, including: gastrocnemius, latissimus dorsi, piriformis, adductors, quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors, thoracic spine (trapezius and rhomboids), and TFL. It is accomplished by rolling the foam roller under each muscle group until a tender area is found, and maintaining pressure on the tender areas (known as trigger points) for 30 to 60 seconds.

While there is currently a lack of research completed with actual foam rollers, it is widely recognized that foam rollers have the same effects as deep-tissue massage. There has been lots of research on the effects of massage on the body much of which can also be carried over to rolling.

The equipment that is used for foam rolling usually consists of a foam cylinder of various sizes; commonly 12 inches long, 6 inches in diameter. However, longer foam rolls up to 36 inches in length are produced for rolling over certain muscles in the back. A variety of foam roller densities exist, often denoted by the color of the roller. Those new to foam rolling, or those who have particularly tight muscles or severe trigger points, often start with a softer foam roll. White rollers are typically softer, while blue and black rolls tend to be much firmer.

Courtesy of Wikipedia